Boston: My favorite place in the world (pt. 1)

Usually when I come back from a trip I like to write about it here in the blog. Even if I’m coming back from somewhere I’ve been many times before and I’m writing basically the same thing (don’t I always report here about my end of the year holyday week in New Orleans every year?).

This year was a little different in that I came back from Boston just a few days before the beginning of the Final Four and right after we have the beginning of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the NBA playoffs. And here in my blog I have one clear rule: Rock and Roll and sports trump any other subject I want to write about.

Therefore, only now, more than two months since I came back, I can talk about my last incursion in Beantown.

Although there are a lot of cities that I love, I can safely say that Boston is my favorite in the whole world. I do have a special place in my heart for New Orleans, Denver, Seattle, San Antonio and Liverpool, but Boston is undoubtedly my favorite.

And why is that? Well, I use to say that what makes you like a city more than others is probably the most personal thing that exists. It’s even more personal than politics and religion. I know people that think Rome is the best city in the world. As I know those who feel the same for New York, London, Paris, Barcelona, Chicago and Stockholm. To me in the case of Boston is simply because I have everything I look for in a city: beautiful sights, nice people, bustling cultural life, four major sports team, wonderful food, great record and book stores and nice looking women.

This was my sixth time in the city and if I may let the ignorant in me speak I can state that: if it was up to me I would never go anywhere else but Boston for the rest of my life. I would even go for the New Year’s when sometimes you can’t even go out due to heavy snow.

Anyway, three things were the undisputed highlights of my sixth time in Boston: the Isabela Gardner museum, my freelancing as an “actor” at the Tea Party Ships and Museum and the Fenway Park tour. Besides that some great new places to eat like Antico Forno in Little Italy and Summer Shack downtown. And of course all the usual suspects: Museum of Fine Arts, Newbury Comics record store, Trident Bookstore, Prudential Center Mall, Maggiano’s, Finale, Boston BeerWorks, John Harvard’s Brewery, The Coop at Harvard Square, Union Oyster House, Legal Seafood and the Omni theater.

As there’s a lot to cover, I’ll divide this post in two. I’ll begin today and then next week I’ll write what’s left.

Let’s begin with the usual suspects as the three highlights would demand a little more space and they are best kept for later.

The Museum of Fine Arts is always a must see. This time they were holding expositions of World War I posters and ancient musical instruments that were wonderful. And of course, there are always the Impressionists wing and ancient Egypt treasures. Also this time, there was a Lee Mingwei installation where a soprano soloist would sing short Lieder (art songs) from Schubert to someone chosen by the soloist. I know it sound weird when you read about it, but it was beautiful to see.

Newbury Comics still great to buy all the newest releases and some great used stuff. You can find DVDs for 3 bucks (I’m not kidding). Trident is also a good option for books. Their Dover editions of classics are almost too good to resist because they are good and rather cheap. Another great place for books and to spend at least two hours is The Coop at Harvard Square: great environment and lots of books to choose from.

Okay, this is the first part. Stay tuned for more next week!

Current playlist:

Listening:

Bathory – Blood Fire Death

Michael Bolton – Everybody’s Crazy

Mercyful Fate – Don’ t Break the Oath

Ian Anderson – Divinities: Twelve Dances with God

Atomic Rooster – Made In England

Babe Ruth – Grand Slam: The Best of Babe Ruth

Reading:

To Live Is To Die: The Life and Death of Metallica’s Cliff Burton – Joel McIver